Retailers are feeling bullish about online sales this holiday

By Allison EnrightEditor

Nearly 25% expect web sales to increase by more than half from last year.

Just more than two-thirds (67%) of retailers are optimistic that their e-commerce sites will deliver more sales during the holiday season than last year, according to a recent survey conducted by Retail Systems Research with e-mail marketing services provider Bronto Software Inc. Nearly a quarter, 23%, of retailer respondents say they expect holiday web sales will increase more than 50% from last year. In contrast, 10% say they expect web sales to decrease, and 23% expect them to remain the same.

But while the majority believes web sales will increase, fewer retailers say they will be spending more on holiday marketing aimed at generating sales. 22% say they plan to slightly increase the marketing budget assigned to holiday marketing; 21% say they will increase it significantly. 42% say they will increase their budgets for holiday e-mail marketing; 40% will allot more for mobile and 40% will allot more for social media.

Of the 179 retailers who responded to the survey in August and September, more than half, 52%, indicated they will have sent their first holiday-related e-mail by now. Another 31% say they will wait until Nov. 26 or later. 53% say they expect to send more e-mail during the holiday season than last holiday, while 13% expect to send less.